


The Blessed One

by SoulCut



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Anakin still turns evil, F/M, Human Disaster Anakin Skywalker, Mutual Pining, Obi-Wan/Padawan, code-what code?, creepy Anakin wants to steal the girlfriend, creepy palpatine wants to steal the girlfriend, fuck da code, no beta-we die like men, no padmé/anakin here, obi-wan kenobi gets more than a hug, precious obi-wan kenobi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:55:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29889036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoulCut/pseuds/SoulCut
Summary: She could feel his hands, big and rough, skim through her body in a frantic search, fingers trembling slightly. They caressed her back, her legs, her arms and her chest with loving care, making her whimper, the feeling exhilarating and warm.When she heard a relieved, shuddered sigh in front of her, she dared to open her eyes.The ever shining, soft blue eyes of her Master greeted her, and she felt him relax against her."Young one-" his soft voice broke, as his calloused fingers cradled her face, brushing her skin with so much care, as if she could break "do not disappear on me like this again, please" his pained plea struck her, hard.When Obi-Wan and Anakin crash in an unknown planet trying to escape from the Federation, they encounter the most valuable of gifts: a Blessing, a being born from the Force, that amplifies the strengh of the Jedi or Sith that bonds with them. The problem is, there is more than one who wants to claim her.
Relationships: Jedi Padawan Character(s) & Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Original Female Character(s), Obi-Wan Kenobi/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	1. The Finding

**Author's Note:**

> IMPORTANT!
> 
> For this fic, there is an important change from Canon:  
> Anakin will not have a romantic relationship with Padmé, because the object of his affection/obsession will be someone else. But his character won't change much for that, I promise.

She could feel his hands, big and rough, skim through her body in a frantic search, fingers trembling slightly. They caressed her back, her legs, her arms and her chest with loving care, making her whimper, the feeling exhilarating and warm. 

When she heard a relieved, shuddered sigh in front of her, she dared to open her eyes. 

The ever shining, soft blue eyes of her Master greeted her, and she felt him relax against her. 

"Young one-" his soft voice broke, as his calloused fingers cradled her face, brushing her skin with so much care, as if she could break " _do not_ disappear on me like this again, please" his pained plea struck her, hard. She didn't want to hurt her Master, she wanted to make him smile, laugh-

Her timid hands rose to his face, but hesitated. She watched his eyes follow the movement, a spark to them, and then drop when her fear stopped her. She could never return his easy displays of affection. Not in the same way as he. 

Jedi don't have attachments. They can only show compassion. And that's all Obi Wan Kenobi, the most compassionate Jedi in the Order, feels for her.

The familiar pain in her chest reared back, and she could swear she saw it mirrored in his eyes. 

He picked her up easily, cradling her as if she were a precious thing. The girl could walk, but decided not to remind him, and enjoy the feeling of his arms around her. 

She could deal with the hurt later.

* * *

  
  


The ship had barreled into the planet's atmosphere like a blazing comet, crossing the greenish sky like a gaping, scarlet gash. The landing was a hair closer to a crashing, but as the younger Jedi stubbornly insisted, it has merely been a forced landing.

"-You call that forced?" The Master rasped sourly, glad to feel earth beneath his feet again, as he took slow steps outside of the ship and into the soil " losing half our ship on the way to the ground?" 

The apprentice huffed, indignant, as he straightened his rumpled robes.

"It can still fly, and I got us away from the Federation into a safe place, so yes, I count it as a rather good maneuver."

"...a safe place-yes, as a matter of fact, do you suppose you could tell me just where you 'landed' us?" Obi Wan lightly mocked his Padawan, running a hand over his long hair. Internally, he felt the circumstances were right, and once again was grateful to the force for his apprentice's quick thinking.

  
  


"... Actually I-I do not know" Anakin said, and their eyes flew to each other, and instantly to their surroundings, both turning alert in a second.

It felt like they were looking behind tinted glasses. Just like Tatooine had an orange, warm and dusty atmosphere, this planet was almost entirely green. From sky to 

earth. They had landed in a jungle like forest, dense with trees and plants. The ship had barreled against the foliage, creating a deep clearing that probably was easy to spot from above. 

"How did we end up here if you don't know where this is? What did the computer show?" Obi Wan circled around the clearing, not daring to touch the strange plants that grew everywhere around them. 

"They were getting close, so I jumped to a system that was far into the outer rim. This planet was the first choice the moment it signalled a breathable atmosphere." Anakin defended.

Obi Wan couldn't care less about being on a strange planet per se, but he was starting to feel there was something different about this place. It felt... untouched. Unperturbed. Hostile.

He wasn't sure they were going to find other people in here.

"Master...I"

"Do you sense it?" Obi Wan cut him out, his eyes fluttering closed, head tilting.

Anakin opened his mouth to ask, but decided to follow his master and concentrate. Almost immediately, his eyes flew open.

"There is something strange in here" he whispered "I feel...observed."

"Yes," Obi Wan breathed "the air seemed dense when we landed. But I realized, it's not. That dense feeling around us is- is the Force." 

"-Master?"

"It's as if it's concentrated here, for some reason. Almost palpable. The easiest it has ever been to reach for it." Obi Wan was marveled. 

"Is the whole planet like this?"

"...there is a point, a direction in which it intensifies. I sense it as clearly as any road or path." Obi Wan responded, and turned his body to said direction, looking intently at the wall of trees ahead. 

"And we are going to go following it."

"Yes- I think we must."

"The strange force in the strange planet we know nothing about."

"Precisely."

"For some unknown reason."

"Glad to hear we are on the same page, Padawan." Obi Wan shot him a bright smile, clasping his apprentice's shoulder and urging him on towards the trees. 

Anakin sighed, both intrigued and worried, thinking about the repairs they would need to make to the ship to be able to fly again. 

"...I guess we need to let the systems run the diagnosis." He capitulated.

"That's the spirit, my young Padawan!" Obi Wan cheered, in his terribly common uplifting mood, as they fought to move in the dense jungle.

  
  


* * *

After what felt like hours wading through an impenetrable green mass, they had heard the sound of water running fast, and ran anxiously to break into a river bank. Excited, the Jedi hurried to test the water, and drank their fill in long gulps. The walk then resumed, never leaving the river's direction, down and down, until they reached a small cliff, around 20 feet tall. The river fell into a small waterfall, and they knelt by the edge, looking down. 

"Do you sense it, Master?" Anakin breathed heavily, turning to see his Master. Obi Wan, for his part, could do nothing less but to stare down into the small lake fed by the river's fall, captive to a feeling he could not explain.

"It is here. I can feel it pulling at me" the older man whispered, a hand ghosting over his chest. 

That's when they saw it. Or better yet, saw her.

She was a human, or at least looked like one. A force sensitive human, all alone on this strange planet. The mere sight of her made Obi Wan's chest clench painfully, tugging. Anakin too was feeling unwell, restless, and no words were needed for both of them to follow the woman's every move.

She was filling flasks with water, and lifting fish traps from the bottom of the water, singing softly in an unknown language.

As they made their way down the side of the cliff and near the border of the lake, they saw her more closely. 

The woman, rather a young girl, probably shy of twenty, was beautiful. She was lithe and so very small, and the sweetest voice fell from her lips as she sang to herself. 

Obi Wan Kenobi could not refrain from stepping out from the trees. He was so very intrigued, the Force so strong he thought he could almost touch it.

Alarmed eyes shot up to meet his, widening. The singing ceased abruptly, and the strange trance in which the Jedi were broke. The girl jumped to her feet with the grace of a fathier's calf, and ran away, leaving the flasks and traps behind. 

They simply followed. 

\--------------------

They had trailed the young one into a higher land, well shielded from wind and protected from flooding. There were worn paths crisscrossing the land, and it was obvious to them that people lived there. 

At no point did they stop to rest, the tiredness and the aches never distracting them from the strong pull of the Force that beckoned them. 

At last the Jedi reached a small patch of clear land, where a tiny, Tatooine like round house stood, painted green from the humid rains. Obi Wan motioned his Padawan to slow his march, and approach quietly, as they neared the building.

Opening the door by the will of the forced, his breath stuck on his throat at the sight before him: the girl from the woods, curling in fear between two modest, small cots. Up close, he could see her skin was beautiful, riveted with thin streaks of gold in strange patterns, as if she had been carefully painted all over. It was so subtle, it could only be seen from less than a few feet.

Big, young eyes looked up at him as he approached slowly with his hands raised and knelt in front of her. 

Obi Wan could almost hear the Force whispering in his mind to comfort, to soothe, to care. She needed him. 

"I won't hurt you, young one" he whispered soothingly, reaching to tuck a strand of silky hair from her face. 

But the moment his finger brushed her skin, he felt a blazing sensation go through him, shocking him back. The girl's breath hitched, as if sensing the same, and she collapsed forward, passed out. Despite the intense pain he was feeling, he lunged to catch her, as he sensed the tumultuos Force around them. He only lasted a second longer, feeling her light weight on him, before everything went dark.

* * *

Obi Wan woke up to the intense light of a room in the Temple's Medical Wing. He winced and closed his eyes, fighting back a groan. The events that preceded his blackout came flooding to his mind and he tensed, a thousand thoughts popping on his mind:

Where was the young one? What was she? What had she done? How was Anakin? It was evident someone had brought him here, probably his Padawan. It was time he was knighted, Obi Wan realized, the apprentice had proven time and time again to be able to carry the weight of a mission alone, whenever things went south and his Master wasn't able to guide him. 

But something drove the Jedi knight to distraction. There was something different, a disturbance of sorts. He closed his eyes and breathed out slow, feeling the Force around him and in him. He was shocked. When before the aura around him was calm and defined, now there was a opening, like a bond. A path that stretched out, and Obi Wan Kenobi thought he knew to where, or rather who, the bond lead.

Soon enough, a member of the medical corps came to check on him, and after finding him well enough, called for the members of the council. When Master Joda, Windu and Ki Adi Mundi came, for the first time since he was Knighted, Obi Wan spoke out of turn.

"How are they? Where-" He rushed out, looking at the neutral faces of the Masters.

"Patience, Master Kenobi," Windu cut him off, not unkindly "we are glad to see you well."

"Thank you" the Jedi replied, but it was obvious that he cared little for his own health.

"Young Anakin Skywalker repaired the ship after you and your foundling collapsed, and it became clear you wouldn't wake up. It took days of course, and he was getting more worried by the minute, but he found out that the heavy presence of the Force in that planet restricted communications with the outside. We had been trying to reach you too, but we were blinded all the same. He had no other way."

Windu took a breath and looked at Joda, who nodded slowly, before continuing.

"After he came and gave us a report, we inspected the two of you…"

"She is awake?" Obi Wan pressed on, hands pushing him to a sitting position.

"Yes, she woke up just this morning. Of course, she was spooked, and only permitted Master Yoda to come near her. She has the entire Temple in a hassle. Most of them barely feel a disturbance in the Force, but the Knights and Masters know better, and whispers run rampant."

"But why? What is she? I can sense...I can sense a connection. As if the Force joined us in some way."

Master Yoda closed his eyes, humming his ascent.

"Bonded through the Force, you are. No longer alone, Obi Wan is. Two halves of a whole, now there are." His gruff voice replied.

"What does this mean, Master Yoda?" 

"On that planet, a Blessing you have found. A gift from the Force, you have been conceded." Yoda responded gravely.

"A Blessing? I have never heard of it-" 

"Of course you haven't. There hasn't been one for thousands of years. Their existence had become a myth by the time of the rise of the New Republic. At some point, most began to forget it. It is only because of Master Yoda that we knew to look for the myth again." Master Windu explained. 

"And the myth?"

"It is said that in times of struggle, a being born of the Force itself can manifest to a force sensitive, be it a Sith or a Jedi. They are a natural pathway to the Force, which means whoever bonds with them, will be able to bend and manipulate it to a greater scale. Some of the most mythical, powerful Jedi and Sith were suspected of having found a Blessing."

"And that's what you think she is. You think the Force sent her to me." Obi Wan spoke slowly unsure.

"A Blessed one, you are. Ignore this, you cannot. But a problem this is." Yoda cautioned.

"If what we suspect is true, and the Sith are back, they must not know of this, else there is a possibility they recognize what she is, and try to take her." Ki Adi Mundi reflected, and Obi Wan tensed, the mere idea filling him with dread.

"And you are certain this is meant for me?"

"Proof of this, the bond is." 

"What does this... manifestation entail?" Obi Wan thought aloud "If this means more power for the light, I can see it as a Blessing, but how does it work? What should I do?"

"Strengthen the bond, protect her, care for her. Be her guardian."

Obi Wan's eyes went down, cast in trouble.

"I spent only a few moments in her presence, and yet I find myself drawn to do all those things already. Compelled by the Force, and myself."

"What doubts have you? Speak clearly, you must" Yoda said, watching Obi Wan intently.

"The Jedi do not condone attachment, and I sense her continued presence will lead to just that. It seems we are already sharing an attachment through the Force. How will I be able to stay clear from emotion and the dark path, if this is the case?" 

"Special this is, Obi Wan Kenobi. Stray from the Force's will we won't. Follow it's lead you must." 

Obi Wan frowned, was he being given green light to renounce part of the Code? 

"There is something else you must know." Windu said, looking reluctant and worried. "We had already discussed this with the council: Anakin Skywalker was made into a Knight. The account of your last mission was more than enough to convince us."

"I am happy to hear that. My thoughts are the same. He is ready."

The Masters shared a look.

"But there is more. Upon coming back and telling us everything about the foundling, we decided to come forth with the truth about the Blessing to him. He already knew too much."

"And what happened?" 

"It seems he didn't quite agree with our assessment that she had been presented to you, and therefore was bonded to you. He feels a strong pull towards her and, for that reason, believes us to be wrong."

A rising anxiety seemed to grab Obi Wan, who suddenly felt the need to be close to the young one, to protect her, to assure her nobody would take her away from him. Those feelings warred against his logical side, that reminded him that Anakin was his brother, that he would never mean them harm. All this was seen by the Masters, who traded concerned glances.

"Doesn't he-doesn't he feel the bond we have?"

"He does, but he is strong with the Force. Enough to know the bond is young and frail. And his pull to her has the power to grow into a bond of its own." At Obi Wan's alarmed face, he quickly assured "He doesn't mean to try and break it. No. I believe he feels an error was made, I'm that you touched her first, and that's the only reason why the bond was made. He thinks he can prove the Force will clear this out."

"You mean, any Jedi can...force a bond with her?" Obi Wan felt more anxious by the second.

"Any Jedi or Sith. This is why we have come to a decision: to the knowledge of all, she is to be your new Padawan. Her former Master died, and you will complete her training. Anakin unfortunately already knows the truth, so we will endeavor to distract him. We hope this matter will resolve soon if he stays away from her for a time. He was given leave to train a Padawan, young Ahsoka Tano, and the rise in missions will have him occupied." 

"I certainly hope so."

"Rest, young Obi Wan, and be at peace, for you have been rewarded."

  
  



	2. The Dream

It had been a long mission, and they looked worse than the dead. Three months fighting the droid armies and looking for the Sith did that to you, but Obi Wan was feeling happy. In those three months, Anakin had gone back to his normal, bantering self. He seemed almost normal.

The past two years had been rough, with both of them dancing around each other. Obi Wan didn't fool himself, his once Padawan was still harboring doubts about his bond, but the Council had been right, getting Anakin into more action served well to temper him and let him focus on more important things.

Alas, it had been three months, and all Obi Wan could care about right now was to deliver his report promptly, and go find his apprentice. 

Anakin watched him quietly from the corner of his eye, noting the way the Jedi stopped limping slightly to stride purposefully into the Temple, his always sunny disposition turning even more radiant as his eyes were lost looking forward, thinking about something, someone. The younger man's stomach coiled at the sight, and he made an effort to conceal his emotions, lest it lead him to a reprimand from his old Master.

"Will you go looking for Ahsoka, Anakin? I am sure she will be thrilled to see you after so long." Obi Wan turned to him, his accented voice uplifting. Anakin never had gained the posh inflection from the city, even after all those years. In some ways, he felt he would never leave Tatooine behind.

"Yes, of course, although, first I have a meeting with the Chancellor. He seemed quite eager to hear about our results." Anakin said, taking care to sound neutral. After all, the Council did dislike his relationship with Palpatine too much already.

"Mmmh, you go with your Chancellor, but don't forget, young Knight: your apprentice is your priority now." His old Master said good naturedly, before taking his leave towards the Council chamber. Sighing at the man's proclivity to deliver advice at every turn after all those years, Anakin went on his way.

* * *

Ahnaia breathed deeply, her eyes closed, as she tapped into the Force. The Room of a Thousand Fountains was a perfect place to meditate and practice becoming one with the Force. Although she had never found it hard at all, to her chagrin, her Master seemed to find joy in loading her schedule with plenty of time to meditate. Something about tempering her overactive energy, he had said. 

The apprentice started to let out the air, slow and steady.

The Force was beautiful. It surrounded people in all manners of ways, making them unique. She started by sensing a single plant among the folliage, following it's path down to every root, and then isolated each flower each petal, following the flow of the living energy pulsing in it. 

Sitting cross legged on the floor, hands relaxed on top of her knees, she then focused on the flow of the water behind her, and followed the energy there. It was then when he felt it.

A pull of the Force in her chest, that could mean only one thing: Master was back. 

Her Master had the most beautiful aura about him. The Force surrounded him in a calm, soft way, that radiated compassion and love for the all the living Force. Sensing his approaching figure sent goosebumps over her body, as it always had. At first, the feeling of needing him close, of being pushed towards him, had scared her, but nowadays it just seemed natural. Of course her being would gravitate towards his. He was, after all, an incredible Jedi.

Her eyes fluttered open at him, to see him leaning against a column a few feet away, watching her intently. The broad smile that made its way to her face had her blushing slightly. He had a beard. 

Obi Wan approached her and knelt before her with a smile of his own, one had ghosting over her cheek and setting on her chin in a soft grip. 

"My Padawan, how you have changed," his voice said lightly "once you couldn't sit still for a second, now you are as still as Master Yoda." He teased good naturedly, and Ahnaia's ears turned pink at the praise disguised as banter.

"Well Master, you certainly tried your best to achieve that, by not letting me do anything else" she bit back, a little offended. No lightsaber work, not a single assignment outside of the Temple, and certainly no Force control practice. She had spent three months in hell. "I am quite sure Master Yoda thought I was trying to break his meditation record." 

Obi Wan chuckled, the hand on her chin tilting her face so he could plant a kiss on her brow.

"I'm sure he did. If you were so terribly bored, I can give you a short lesson on hand to hand combat before I head out." 

She rolled her eyes a little, missing the weight and warmth of the lightsaber in her hand, but jumped to her feet at the opportunity.

"I don't know Master," Ahnaia said sweetly, watching him with big, innocent eyes "you do look terribly beaten up already." 

Obi Wan's eyes narrowed playfully at his Apprentice's jab.

"Ahh, don't you worry, you little menace. I can still wipe the floor with you. Come on, before I fall asleep." 

Ahnaia lunged forward then, careful to test Obi Wan's sides looking for a weak spot. He did seem hurt all over, so she took care to avoid hitting him directly. Not that it was easy, as the man was clearly a vastly better fighter.

They circled each other for a while, not letting the other gain the advantage, when Ahnaia noticed his slight limp and used it to send him to the ground. 

The girl dropped to straddle him instantly, trying her best to lock his longer legs still. She took a hold of his wrists triumphant, flashing her Master a smirk, but then frowned. Obi Wan was watching her with eyes full of mirth.

He pushed the top of his body off the ground, drawing his face a hair away from hers, his beard tickling her cheek, as he whispered in her ear. 

"Watch the weight." And she was suddenly turned over in a roll, her back hitting the ground with a thud, as the air fled from her lungs. Obi Wan then fell on her, mimicking her earlier position, his legs trapping hers, and one big hand holding both of her wrists.

They took a moment to catch their breath, and Ahnaia tried not to dwell on the feeling of his soft pants ghosting over her cheeks. 

She closed her eyes, praying he thought the blush on her cheeks was all from the exertion.

"That 's not fair. I had you." He chuckled tenderly, his free hand coming to trace her cheekbone, brushing down to the side of her neck. Ahnaia realized he was following the golden lines on her skin.

God- that did _not_ help to calm her pounding heart. 

"The lesson today is: outside of this Temple, no one will fight fair, young one." He said, and then got up, pulling her with him. As she opened her eyes to send him a dirty look, she couldn't help but ache at seeing him again. 

She had come to care for her Master in ways that exceeded their mentor/mentee role for a while now. She could not believe how once she had ran away from him in utter fear. The man was the incarnation of goodness.

And of duty, too. 

Nothing his Master ever did contradicted his duty. Which was something she had to remind herself each time she felt her feelings for him get a little deeper. 

The Jedi don't condone attachment.

There is only compassion.

She was taken out of her grim thoughts at seeing Ahsoka coming towards them. Instantly, Obi Wan beamed at the young Padawan, and cradled her face in his hands.

"Young Ahsoka, getting stronger each time I see you, it seems" he spoke proudly. The Togruta flashed him an open smile, both of them not noticing the other girl watching, despaired.

"Thank you, General Kenobi, I am glad to see you well!"

It was always painful to watch Master with others, and realize that he treated them all the same. Ahnaia knew that he cared for her as an apprentice, and wanted her to succeed in her training. She had many doubts in her mind: being such an older apprentice than was common, but having to keep quiet about it, not being able to leave the Temple on any mission with his Master, because she wasn't ready…

"Master Anakin thinks I will be able to follow him on his new mission" the Togruta chirped, animatedly "it will be the longest one yet."

Another reason Ahnaia was frustrated was that her Master never took her on missions. Even if she had been training for a lot less time than most Padawans, she still had a better control of the Force than most of them. A natural, they called her. Her lightsaber fighting skills were quite good, as she was prone to use the Force to her advantage in duels, yet, even when she showed skill and competence, it was never enough.

"That's good to hear, Padawan, I know for all Anakin has told me that you are more than ready" Obi Wan congratulated her, while his own Padawan dimmed more and more.

* * *

Chancellor Palpatine seemed excited to see Anakin, but to be fair, he always did. The older man jumped from his desk and clasped the Jedi's shoulders, admiring him. Anakin had grown powerful and resourceful in the times of war. He was a Jedi with an independent mind, most of the time a black sheep in a herd of mindless followers.

"I am so very glad to see you, my boy. Please, tell me everything about your travels" the older man purred, guiding him to a seat. Anakin let on a small smile, and launched on his explanation of the mission to save the refugee camps from the droid army's siege. By the end of it, he noticed Palpatine's accustomed undivided attention had changed into a troubled thoughtfulness.

"What troubles you, Chancellor?" The Jedi inquiry softly. Palpatine's eyes snapped back to him, unblinking, as if he were measuring him.

"I must confess….I am perplexed. Utterly perplexed, for a time now, but you only seem to confirm my thoughts each and every time." 

"What thoughts are those?"

"From what I recalled from my times as a simple Senator, Obi Wan Kenobi was a regular Jedi Master. A model one, certainly, but never a particularly powerful one" Palpatine ran a hand over his temple, seemingly lost in thought "but the feats you describe he performs now are beyond what I thought of him, why, I would certainly have thought you did them."

The Chancellor chuckled, and shook his head.

"Really, he seems to steal the spotlight from everyone these days. Already a General, a Master, soon, I think, a Council Member." 

Anakin's brow furrowed as he looked down hard. It was true, the bond had started working to augment his power from the moment it was created, and now his former Master, who was once less strong in the Force than him, was his equal. Along with his wider experience and exemplary conduct, he was now considered one of the strongest Jedi in the Temple. 

If it weren't for Ahnaia, he was sure Obi Wan would not be lauded as the most valuable Jedi in the war right now. He still remembered a time when he saved his Master's life too often. Anakin tried not to be jealous, but he could only imagine how much easier it would be to win the war if all the power of the Blessed one had fallen on him. The Council never wanted to explore that possibility.

"Something troubles you, I think" Palpatine observed, and Anakin looked up to find him watching him with undivided attention. Almost eager. Anakin scowled, Palpatine would not find Obi Wan to be interested in him, so if his intentions were to draw the Jedi Master in, he would be sorely disappointed.

"Nothing, really. My former Master has always been strong in the Force. The hard work and the struggles of war seem to push him to his limits, and he proves capable of breaking those with hard work." Anakin replied, trying to close the subject. It would not do for someone outside of the Temple to find out about the truth. No matter how trustworthy his friend was. Palpatine should not know.

The older man seemed less than satisfied with the answer.

"Such a neutral answer, young Anakin, maybe I will make a diplomat of you yet." He chuckled, and tilted his head, intrigued "Do tell me, how is your delightful Padawan advancing in her training? I see potential in her. I actually think she will turn out to be like her Master: an independent thinker, a strong Jedi, don't you think?"

Anakin smiled ruefully, glad for the change of subject, and spoke proudly.

"Ahsoka is showing much promise, I plan to ask the Council to bring her on my next mission. She is due to a bit more challenge." 

"Ahh I knew it, I knew it. Well, I do hope the Council isn't blind enough to see that. I told you, all those years ago, you needn't fear being a Master, you are excellent for that." 

Anakin bowed his head, still grateful for his friendly advice, when the recently Knighted Jedi had been full of doubts. 

"As a matter of fact. Another thing that always surprised me is, that Padawan Master Obi Wan was training…I have never seen her. And I know for a fact that she has never left the Temple on a mission or in any capacity. Tell me, isn't that against your rules?" Palpatine seemed concerned, and Anakin was on alert again.

"She is training. Her use of the Force for defensive applications such as healing and communicating through the Force in long ranges makes it safer and more productive for her to stay in the Temple."

Palpatine nodded, deeply interested.

"It sounds as if she is quite capable with the Force."

Anakin curved an ironic smirk. 

"Yes, she is rather in tune with it. Anyway, Obi Wan trains her in between missions, and looks rather comfortable with having her in the sanctuary of the Temple."

"Oh, but that sounds as if he cares much more for her safety rather than what she could bring to the battlefront." A reproving tone laced his words.

"...he is concerned with her safety, which is understandable." Anakin said, unsure, he was concerned with Ahnaia's safety too. Of someone else snatching her away, at least, in this way, he could still get to see her, keep an eye on her.

"But you go and put your own Padawan in harm's way, and all the other Masters too, don't you think he is being partial? Unfair to you all, by safekeeping only his own apprentice?" Palpatine rushed to explain " I am deeply sorry, Anakin, but it sounds to me like your former Master has formed an unhealthy attachment that prevents him from being fair." 

Anakin shrugged, uncomfortable.

"As I said, her power is better suited to stay in the Temple. That is where she makes a difference in the war." 

"Hmmm," the Chancellor backed down "still, I would feel more at ease if I met her, and saw this for myself. I trust your words, my friend, but your attachment to your former Master may make you blind to his shortcomings. If Obi Wan Kenobi is using his power to willfully keep a Jedi from battle, for his own peace of mind, then he is acting against the Code, and against the interest of the Republic. The Council should act on that."

"Yes, Chancellor." Anakin said, unable to take apart a sound statement.

"When you are able, you will bring her to me. Perhaps it would be best to do so when Obi Wan is away, we do not need to cause trouble if what you say is true. Please, let this stay between us."

"Of course, Chancellor." 

"You may go to your apprentice, my friend."

* * *

In the darkness of her bedroom, Ahnaia tossed and turned, her face contorted in fear. She was dreaming, again, the same nightmare.

_A masked man was bending over her, the blackness in the two holes where his eyes should be consuming her, the shallow breaths behind the mask chilling her. She could feel her own fear and hatred of him, the certainty that he had killed the people she held most dear. That he would kill the one who mattered the most._

_"P-please don't!" She heard herself cry._

_"You will be mine now." the broken voice rasped through the mask "As it should have been."_

_His gloved black hand raised and came for her, clamping on her mouth as she prepared to scream._

Ahnaia shot up from her bed, touching her face and scanning the room for the man-no, the monster- in black. Tears and welled on her eyes, and she closed them, trying to control her panicked breaths. The sound of her door hissing open did not disturb her, as she had felt her Master's presence nearing from the moment she woke up. He could feel her distress and pain through their connection as his own. 

The mattress dipped as more weight settled on it, and two hands came to her cheeks, brushing away the tears. 

"The same dream?" Her Master's sweet voice whispered, already knowing the answer, but she shook her head yes all the same. The dream had started some time ago, but it was getting clearer, more defined. As if the masked man were getting more real "oh, my sweet one." He sounded worried, and pained. She knew there was a probability that her dream was no dream at all, but a vision of the future, and that Obi Wan thought the same. Still, she didn't want to dwell on what that could mean. 

Obi Wan sighed and stood, grabbing her small body and carrying her up with him. Drawing open the covers, he slowly lowered on the bed, laying her on top of him. He covered them with the slim sheets, and then wrapped his arms around his Padawan, securing her against him.

Ahnaia sighed, curling her body into his, her shorter legs and arms embracing his chest and middle. As always she had this dream, the need to be with him became almost unbearable, no matter how tightly she held him, she found she couldn't be close enough. The ache in her chest lessened when they were embraced like this, but it never disappeared, and an unnamed need for more tugged at her. But she didn't know what else to do.

Soon, her Master's large hand found her back, and he drew soothing circles over her feverish skin, as his other one ran through her hair. Her eyes fluttered close and, after a few heartbeats, she fell asleep again. This time, peacefully. 

Obi Wan Kenobi, though, wouldn't be able to sleep. The anxiety eating at his chest every time he dreamt of the black figure stealing his young one away wouldn't leave him, and the feeling of his Padawan pressed into him, so close and yet not enough, was something he didn't want to miss for even a second.

As he had predicted, the bond to his Blessing had led to the hardest attachment to ignore. As he contemplated how close he was to breaking his vows completely, he could not help basking in the feeling of her safely with him, her body pressed into his.

Obi Wan shifted, drawing them both to lay side by side, and then curling her into him, his body closing over hers protectively, his head buried in her neck. 

He knew he would fight the galaxy for her. 


End file.
